CCSU Launches GIS Program, Police Class

Central Connecticut State University’s continuing education office is offering a new course about police work and a certificate program in geographic information systems.

Behind the Badge is a series of 10 eight-hour classes for people interested in the details of police careers. A West Hartford police officer will teach the class, which covers practical skills, the police chain of command, rules and regulations, physical training, firearms basics, and a four hour ride-a-long with a police officer. Tuition is $495.

The course is open to anyone with a high school diploma or GED, with no prior felony convictions. Behind the Badge can be applied toward a CCSU criminal justice internship requirement, and is eligible for .8 continuing education units.

The four-course geographic information systems program covers cartography and data management. Classes will cover how data can be organized to illustrate patterns, distributions, relationships or other analytical functions, CCSU said. The technology has applications in economics and market research, emergency response, environmental protection, land use planning, public transportation planning, delivery route planning, real estate, crime prevention and more, according to CCSU. The first course offering this fall is Basic Principles of GIS; it will meet in the evenings and cost $995.